Ford recalls 2026 Explorer, Mustang, Lincoln Corsair and 2025 Maverick over cylinder head flaw that can leak oil
A badly made cylinder head can make ball plugs fail and leak oil, which can cause a fire if oil meets hot engine parts, or make the engine seize and power cut out, raising the risk of a crash.
What to do
Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly for free, and all affected vehicles are still in dealer inventory, so no owner letters will be mailed. Owners with questions can call Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and cite recall number 25SD3.
Look up your car to see every recall for its make, model and year.
Recall details
- Product
- Ford Explorer, Mustang, Maverick and 1 more 2025–2026
- Company
- Ford Motor Company
- Hazard
- An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components increases the risk of a fire. In addition, the loss of oil can result in engine seizure and loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Units
- 6 vehicles
- Reported to NHTSA
- December 1, 2025
- Identifiers
- NHTSA campaign number: 25V828000
- Manufacturer campaign number: 25SD3
- Model years: 2025–2026
The headline, summary and steps above are written in plain English from the official notice below. Identifiers are copied exactly as the agency published them. Always check the official notice before you act.
Official notice
The notice's own wording from NHTSA.
- Component
- ENGINE
- Defect
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2026 Explorer, Mustang, Lincoln Corsair, and 2025 Maverick vehicles. The cylinder head may have been improperly manufactured, which can cause the ball plugs to fail, resulting in an oil leak.
- Consequence
- An oil leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components increases the risk of a fire. In addition, the loss of oil can result in engine seizure and loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Corrective action
- Dealers will replace the cylinder head assembly, free of charge. All affected vehicles are still within dealership inventory and therefore no owner notification letters will be mailed. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SD3. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on November 24, 2025.
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